HOPING to better last year’s haul of 19 medals, Alkantstrand lifeguards will on Sunday put their fitness to the test at this year’s SA Masters Lifesaving Championships.
The annual event will be held in Durban and items on the programme include long run, beach sprints, surf swim, malibu boards, surf skis, iron man and relays.
‘We are going to Durban to better our results from last year and we feel excited about our prospects,’ said Daniel Lubanyana, Empangeni Lifesaving Club Captain.
While keeping fit is all in a day’s work for these lifeguards, they have been putting in extra training in preparation for the championships.
‘It is difficult for us to compete against other, bigger clubs, as we are quite a small outfit, but we are going there to do our best and bring home some more medals.’
There are a number of categories in which the lifeguards compete, but owing to a lack of funding and sponsorship, the local lifeguards cannot compete in them all.
‘We cannot compete in the events with crafts, as we need sponsorship for more crafts and the maintenance of them,’ said Lubanyana.
As for this weekend’s championships, the team is looking for sponsorship of refreshments.
General sponsorship for the club would also be beneficial in providing meals and refreshments for those lifeguards volunteering on Sundays.
The Empangeni Lifesaving Club offers training to anyone wanting to become a lifeguard, the only criteria being physical fitness, applicants must be older than 16 and able to swim 400m in under eight minutes.
Everything else, including first aid, CPR and how to handle the sea, is taught during training.
For more information the club can be contacted on 073 1574625.
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